A vehicle occupant restraint for protecting an occupant of a vehicle upon a side impact against the vehicle is known. Typically, such a vehicle occupant restraint includes an inflatable air bag and a source of inflation fluid for inflating the air bag, both of which are mounted on a vehicle door. When a side impact against the vehicle occurs, the source of inflation fluid provides inflation fluid to inflate the air bag. The inflated air bag restrains movement of the occupant and prevents the occupant from violently striking parts of the vehicle during a side impact against the vehicle.